MIMA Community Matters: Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs

On October 16th, Mayor Pugh joined CASA, elected officials, and members of the community to break ground on CASA’s future regional education and employment center in southeast Baltimore. CASA is the region’s largest Latino and immigrant organization with nearly 100,000 members. The center will serve as a hub for ESL vocational training services, employment placement and workforce development, along with English classes, tax preparation, financial literacy, and immigrant youth leadership programs. Read More.

“When the city invests in our immigrant residents, everyone wins. Both our economy and community are stronger when everyone is included. This project is going to help make Baltimore a welcoming place where all families have a chance to thrive. We are honored to support it and be a partner,” said Mayor Catherine E. Pugh.

On October 11, we launched a new event, MIMA in the Community. These events will happen twice a year and are an opportunity for our community members to learn about and engage directly with the work we do. For our inaugural MIMA in the Community, we invited our partners to discuss the work of Safe City Baltimore, a public fund for immigrant legal defense. We were also joined by Mayor Catherine Pugh, who expressed her support for Safe City Baltimore & reaffirmed Baltimore as a Welcoming City.

If you or someone you know would benefit from legal services offered through Safe City Baltimore, we have information in English and in Spanish with contact information for the organizations who provide the different services, which can be found on our website.

Please help us spread the word about the critical support available through Safe City Baltimore!

Maryland Health Connection is the state’s official health insurance marketplace.  Marylanders can get health and dental coverage to fit their needs and budgets. Enrollment for 2019 health plans runs November 1 to December 15, 2018. Enrollment in Medicaid and the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) is year-round.

Free services provided by many consumer assistance organizations throughout the state. In Baltimore City, in-person support can be found at the HealthCare Access Maryland (HCAM) office located 1 North Charles Street, Suite 900 | Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:30pm 

MHC can help you find the right plan to fit your needs and budget. Visit MarylandHealthConnection.gov now to find an expert nearby who can help you enroll.

On Saturday, September 22, The Charm City Night Market celebrated Baltimore's Asian American & Pacific Islander heritage and history through an epic block party, connecting Lexington Market to Park Avenue, spanning the city's intertwined communities of color. Over 12,000 attendees enjoyed performances from local performing artists while browsing through 50 artist and food vendors.

If you missed it, you can catch a mini pop up night market coinciding with Center Stage’s upcoming production of King of the Yees. More information available here.

This month, Mayor Pugh joined mayors across the country in opposition to the new proposed regulations on “public charge” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The letter from U.S. Conference of Mayors to Secretary Nielsen highlighted that the proposal will compromise children’s health, nutrition, and development; impact access to mental health care; reduce housing options; and negatively affect local economies. Read More.

The proposed “public charge “draft rule and its publication commences a comment period until Monday, December 10, 2018. Individuals and organizations will be able to submit comments via the instructions on the proposed rule change document at the National Archives, here. 

For more information and resources, please visit https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/